Nationwide Prevalence of Dental Caries in Turkish Children: A Meta-Analysis.

Objectives

This meta-analysis aims to estimate the pooled prevalence of dental caries among children in Turkey by synthesizing national evidence from theses and peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2024.

Methods

Studies were retrieved from the YÖK Thesis Database and Google Scholar using keywords such as 'Caries Prevalence' and 'Primary Tooth.' PubMed was used to cross-check peer-reviewed articles. A total of 28 studies and 29 data points including 40,244 children aged approximately 2 to 15 years were included. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 index, and publication bias was evaluated with an Egger's test and funnel plots.

Results

The pooled prevalence of dental caries among Turkish children was 75.6% (95% CI: 70.8-79.8%). Substantial heterogeneity was observed (I2 = 98.4%), but no significant publication bias was detected.

Conclusions

Dental caries remains a significant public health issue among children in Turkey. Targeted preventive measures-such as nationwide dental screenings and school-based fluoride programs-are urgently needed.